Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Jane Austen has fascinated readers all
over the world and the occasion of reading Emma
promised all sorts of delights. Readers come away with insights into the mind
of women to whom marriage is a pre-eminent concern.

Talitha, Thommo, Priya, Esther

Austen’s prose became an ideal to
imitate for its proper English words and phrases. It was not the spoken English
of the period, but a high style.

Kavita & Zakia

As in all novelists you expect the
characters to be drawn sharply and represent every sort of person that could be
imagined to inhabit the situations, scenes and places in which the novel is
set. Austen provides all the variety you might expect, with twists and turns that
the strong-willed Emma could not foresee.

Mathew & Kavita

She discovers that some of the best
things in life cannot be arranged.

Before
the reading we discussed Sivaram’s e-mail to KRG about his reason for
absence - not being enthused by Emma. The general consensus was that being a
part of a reading group meant discovering books and writers at other’s
suggestions and finding a fresh perspective, even if the suggested book did not
immediately inspire the others.

Sterne's
Tristram Shandy was mentioned as a case in point. A majority felt it was
laborious, outlandish and yet they found the eighteenth century classic to be
refreshingly maverick, ‘postmodern’, selection by Joe.

Talitha
began by saying that after Zakia and she had zeroed in on Jane Austen, they
took time to decide on Emma. They vacillated between the better-known
Pride and Prejudice and the more literary Persuasion. Emma was
selected because it made for a “meatier” read that combined romance, period
life and psychologically complex characters.

Thommo
said that Emma became the template on
which the contemporary Mills and Boons romances were fashioned. Talitha
differed, saying that Emma was not a
romantic work, but a satire. Matthew said that the story was a true
representation of the age.

The
group had a lively discussion on whether matchmaking continues to be actively
pursued in current Indian society much as in Emma’s times. Talitha was of the
opinion that it does and it is just as successful.

Priya
pointed out the use of archaic words and the formal style of conversation,
typical of the class and period.

The
group digressed by talking about the translation of the New Testament and its
dating. Sunil and Talitha had differing viewpoints, but Thommo had the last
word by cracking a joke.

The
joke

The
Pope dies and, naturally, goes to heaven. He is met by St Peter and told that
he can enjoy any of the myriad recreations available.

He
decides that he wants to read all of the ancient original text of the Holy
Scriptures and other writings of the period. The Pope spends the next eon or so
learning the languages. After becoming a master linguist, he sits down in the
library and begins to pore over every piece of text connected to the Holy
Bible.

One
day there is a scream from the library. The angels come running to him, only to
find the Pope huddled in a chair, crying to himself, and muttering, "An
'R'! They left out the 'R'”.

St. Peter takes him aside, offering comfort and asks him what the problem is. After collecting his wits, the Pope sobs again, "It's the letter 'R' ... the word should have been CELEBRATE."

The
group also discussed the riddles Emma and Harriet engage in, and its occurrence
in other novels, and its relevance today. Talitha said it is there in Oedipus,
in Tolkien and in Alice In Wonderland too.

Emma’s
manipulative ways to negotiate a match were discussed but Talitha felt that she
was not a match maker in the true sense of the word.

Kavita

Kavita
read the passage where Harriet declares her lover for Mr. Knightley. This is a
turning point for Emma because for the first time she discovers her love for
Knightley.

Mathew

Mathew
read the passage after the ball.

Emma Woodhouse, in Jane Austen’s
supposedly own words, is “a heroine whom no one but myself will much like”. Set
in the Regency years, the time of Jane Austen herself, the novels acquired
readership during the Victorian era and, inevitably, led to comparison with
works of the latter period. Nevertheless, it is inescapably to be associated
with the ease and luxury that marked the reign of King George IV, as regent and
as king. Emma, therefore, has the independence, inclination and the time to be
‘nosy’ about her contemporaries in their romances and relationships. The book
gives us a perception of her environs through the eyes of Emma.

The passage chosen is an example of
such. We can readily, through the picture description, visualise the scene,
imagine the expression on the faces and eyes of the personae, and believe
ourselves to be present there. Powerfully compact in the usage of words and
phrases, it lends itself to attentiveness on the part of the hearers. There is
no commentary or critique – only full and proper enjoyment of the language and the situation. The engagement
with the gypsies provides mirth and the calculating mind of Emma makes us think
“here we go again”. Above all, the treatment of fainting young ladies provides cause
for laughter.

Esther

Esther
read the passage where Elton proposes to Emma (Chapter 16, Collins Classic,
Edition 2010) and Emma realizes that she had been “adventuring too far”, andthat
she had been making light of what was serious.

Priya

Priya
read the passage were Emma tells Harriet that a rich spinster is never a poor
old maid and remains relevant in society. That she, Emma, would look after her
nephew and nieces but never marry.

There
was a discussion about the laws of inheritance for spinsters in British law. Thommo
spoke about a 660 year-old Act, which came up recently after the birth of Duke
and Duchess of Cambridge’s first baby, George.

MPs will meet to start rewriting 660 year-old
laws to ensure that if the royal couple have a girl she will become Queen, even
if she later has a younger brother.

Strange to say, in the British royal family
women can succeed to the titles, but it is quite different for the aristocracy.
The aristocracy's current rules are even harsher than those of the crown, as a
title will die out rather than be passed onto a female heir.

Kavita spoke about the laws on inheritance among
the Syrian Christians and about the high profile case of Ms. Mary Roy, where it
was ruled that the property rights for sons and daughters are on par.

Zakia

Zakia read the part when Kingsley objects to Emma's interference in Harriet's life, influencing her to refuse Robert Martin. Zakia felt that Emma was being decidedly manipulative, though well-intentioned.

Joe

Joe’s
passage, sent via mail, was read eloquently by Sunil. It was the passage where
Harriet receives a proposal from Robert Martin.

Joe’s
comments on Emma were read by Priya:

Emma's
major concern in life is to arrange marriages for women whom she knew. Jane
Austen covers much the same ground in her famous novel, Pride and Prejudice,
which begins:

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man
in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”

One
must conclude that the author's imagination too was fired by the same
overriding theme. If so, it casts the society of those times in a poor light in
that women seem obsessed with making a match and landing a catch.

A
Suitable Boy too deals with
the search for a husband. But if Jane Austen's books go on and on and on a
single subject, Vikram Seth covers an immense panorama of the country, and the
mores of its people within the compass of his novel. Rupa Mehra, the mother in
search of a bride for her daughter, occupies no pre-eminence in the novel. Half
a dozen other characters occupy a much larger space. An author like VS can
combine husband-searching with a far more rounded account of the life and times
of the bride-to-be — with a great deal of wit.

Jane
Austen, on the other hand, makes her heroine boring by making her mind run in a
single track. Austen's vaunted prose is stilted and stiff, and though she has
wonderful events that almost tend to humour, she can never come right out and
raise a laugh, for it would spoil the primness with which she writes.

The
modern rebuttal to Jane Austen was delivered by a wag who said:

“It is a truth universally acknowledged in the 21st century
that the last thing a single man in possession of a good fortune wants is a
wife because she'd bleed him dry when she divorces him."

KumKum

KumKum wrote that she was very sorry to miss the session. She read the book and enjoyed it, and wanted to thank Talitha and Zakia for selecting it. The
reading was enjoyable and lively.Joe and Kumkum were missed for their usual contribution to
our readings with references, analogies, etc.

The
Readings

(incomplete)

Talitha

T

Kavita

K

Mathew

Having arranged all these matters,
looked them through, and put them all to rights, she was just turning to the
house with spirits freshened up for the demands of the two little boys, as well
as of their grandpapa, when the great
iron sweep-gate opened, and two persons entered whom she had never less
expected to see together—Frank Churchill, with Harriet leaning on his arm—actually
Harriet!—A moment sufficed to convince her that something extraordinary had
happened. Harriet looked white and
frightened, and he was trying to cheer her.— The iron gates and the front-door were not twenty yards asunder;—they
were all three soon in the hall, and Harriet immediately sinking into a chair
fainted away.

A young lady who faints, must be
recovered; questions must be answered, and surprises be explained. Such events
are very interesting, but the suspense of them cannot last long. A few minutes
made Emma acquainted with the whole. Miss Smith, and Miss Bickerton, another parlour
boarder at Mrs. Goddard's, who had been also at the ball, had walked out
together, and taken a road, the Richmond road, which, though apparently public
enough for safety, had led them into alarm.—About half a mile beyond Highbury,
making a sudden turn, and deeply shaded by elms on each side, it became for a
considerable stretch very retired; and when the young ladies had advanced some
way into it, they had suddenly perceived at a small distance before them, on a
broader patch of greensward by the side, a party of gypsies. A child on the
watch, came towards them to beg; and Miss Bickerton, excessively frightened,
gave a great scream, and calling on Harriet to follow her, ran up a steep bank,
cleared a slight hedge at the top, and made the best of her way by a short cut
back to Highbury. But poor Harriet could not follow. She had suffered very much
from cramp after dancing, and her first attempt to mount the bank brought on such
a return of it as made her absolutely powerless— and in this state, and
exceedingly terrified, she had been obliged to remain. How the trampers might
have behaved, had the young ladies been more courageous, must be doubtful; but such an invitation for attack
could not be resisted; and Harriet was soon assailed by half a dozen children,
headed by a stout woman and a great boy, all clamorous, and impertinent in look, though not absolutely in word.—More
and more frightened, she immediately promised them money, and taking out her purse, gave
them a shilling, and begged them not to want more, or to use her ill.—She was then able to walk,
though but slowly, and was moving away—but her terror and her purse were too tempting, and
she was followed, or rather surrounded, by the whole gang, demanding more.

In this state Frank Churchill had found
her, she trembling and conditioning, they loud and insolent. By a most
fortunate chance his leaving Highbury had been delayed so as to bring him to her
assistance at this critical moment. The pleasantness of the morning had induced
him to walk forward, and leave his horses to meet him by another road, a mile
or two beyond Highbury— and happening to have borrowed a pair of scissors the
night before of Miss Bates, and to have forgotten
to restore them, he had been obliged to stop at her door, and go in for a few
minutes: he was therefore later than he
had intended; and being on foot, was unseen by the whole party till almost close to them. The terror which
the woman and boy had been creating in Harriet was then their own portion. He had left them
completely frightened; and Harriet eagerly clinging to him, and hardly able to speak, had just
strength enough to reach Hartfield, before her spirits were quite overcome. It was his idea to bring her
to Hartfield: he had thought of no other place.

This was the amount of the whole
story,—of his communication and of Harriet's as soon as she had recovered her senses and speech.— He dared
not stay longer than to see her well; these several delays left him not another minute to
lose; and Emma engaging to give assurance of her safety to Mrs. Goddard, and notice of
there being such a set of people in the neighbourhood to Mr. Knightley, he set off, with all the
grateful blessings that she could utter for her friend and herself. Such an adventure as this,—a fine
young man and a lovely young woman thrown together in such a way, could hardly fail of
suggesting certain ideas to the coldest heart and the steadiest brain. So Emma thought, at least.
Could a linguist, could a grammarian, could even a mathematician have seen what she did, have
witnessed their appearance together, and heard their history of it, without feeling that
circumstances had been at work to make them peculiarly interesting to each other?—How much more must
an imaginist, like herself, be on fire with speculation and foresight!—especially with
such a groundwork of anticipation as her mind had already made.

It was a very extraordinary thing!
Nothing of the sort had ever occurred before to any young ladies in the place, within her memory; no
rencontre, no alarm of the kind;—and now it had happened to the very person, and at the very
hour, when the other very person was chancing to pass by to rescue her!—It certainly was
very extraordinary!—And knowing, as she did, the favourable state of mind of each at this
period, it struck her the more. He was wishing to get the better of his
attachment to herself, she just recovering from her mania for Mr. Elton. It seemed
as if every thing united to promise the most interesting consequences. It was
not possible that the occurrence should
not be strongly recommending each to the other.

Esther

E

Priya

P

Zakia

Z

Joe

Harriet receives a proposal of marriage
by letter, from Ch 7 of Emma (809 words)

This letter was
from Mr. Martin, and contained a direct proposal of marriage. "Who could
have thought it? She was so surprised she did not know what to do. Yes, quite a
proposal of marriage; and a very good letter, at least she thought so. And he
wrote as if he really loved her very much—but she did not know—and so, she was
come as fast as she could to ask Miss Woodhouse what she should do.—" Emma
was half-ashamed of her friend for seeming so pleased and so doubtful.

"Upon my
word," she cried, "the young man is determined not to lose any thing
for want of asking. He will connect himself well if he can."

"Will you
read the letter?" cried Harriet. "Pray do. I'd rather you
would."

Emma was not
sorry to be pressed. She read, and was surprised. The style of the letter was
much above her expectation. There were not merely no grammatical errors, but as
a composition it would not have disgraced a gentleman; the language, though
plain, was strong and unaffected, and the sentiments it conveyed very much to
the credit of the writer. It was short, but expressed good sense, warm
attachment, liberality, propriety, even delicacy of feeling. She paused over
it, while Harriet stood anxiously watching for her opinion, with a "Well,
well," and was at last forced to add, "Is it a good letter? or is it
too short?"

"Yes,
indeed, a very good letter," replied Emma rather slowly—"so good a
letter, Harriet, that every thing considered, I think one of his sisters must
have helped him. I can hardly imagine the young man whom I saw talking with you
the other day could express himself so well, if left quite to his own powers,
and yet it is not the style of a woman; no, certainly, it is too strong and
concise; not diffuse enough for a woman. No doubt he is a sensible man, and I
suppose may have a natural talent for—thinks strongly and clearly—and when he
takes a pen in hand, his thoughts naturally find proper words. It is so with
some men. Yes, I understand the sort of mind. Vigorous, decided, with
sentiments to a certain point, not coarse. A better written letter, Harriet
(returning it,) than I had expected."

"Well,"
said the still waiting Harriet;—"well—and—and what shall I do?"

"What shall
you do! In what respect? Do you mean with regard to this letter?"

"Yes."

"But what
are you in doubt of? You must answer it of course—and speedily."

"Yes. But
what shall I say? Dear Miss Woodhouse, do advise me."

"Oh no, no!
the letter had much better be all your own. You will express yourself very
properly, I am sure. There is no danger of your not being intelligible, which is
the first thing. Your meaning must be unequivocal; no doubts or demurs: and
such expressions of gratitude and concern for the pain you are inflicting as
propriety requires, will present themselves unbidden to your mind, I am
persuaded. You need not be prompted to write with the appearance of sorrow for
his disappointment."

"You think
I ought to refuse him then," said Harriet, looking down.

"Ought to
refuse him! My dear Harriet, what do you mean? Are you in any doubt as to that?
I thought—but I beg your pardon, perhaps I have been under a mistake. I
certainly have been misunderstanding you, if you feel in doubt as to the
purport of your answer. I had imagined you were consulting me only as to the
wording of it."

Harriet was
silent. With a little reserve of manner, Emma continued: "You mean to
return a favourable answer, I collect."

"No, I do
not; that is, I do not mean—What shall I do? What would you advise me to do?
Pray, dear Miss Woodhouse, tell me what I ought to do."

"I shall
not give you any advice, Harriet. I will have nothing to do with it. This is a
point which you must settle with your feelings."

"I had no
notion that he liked me so very much," said Harriet, contemplating the
letter. For a little while Emma persevered in her silence; but beginning to
apprehend the bewitching flattery of that letter might be too powerful, she
thought it best to say, "I lay it down as a general rule, Harriet, that if
a woman doubts as to whether she should accept a man or not, she certainly
ought to refuse him. If she can hesitate as to 'Yes,' she ought to say 'No'
directly. It is not a state to be safely entered into with doubtful feelings,
with half a heart. I thought it my duty as a friend, and older than yourself,
to say thus much to you. But do not imagine that I want to influence you."

Thommo

T

Posted by
Management - Learning from Experiences by Reflection
at
10:53 AM